Debate – Stop Ozil and Arsenal will suffer?

Arsenal suffered a setback in the first difficult test of their credentials in Tuesday’s defeat by Borussia Dortmund.

Never mind the fact match winner Robert Lewandowski should have been off the pitch for a blatant elbow on Laurent Koscielny.

Gunners record signing Mesut Ozil, by his exceptionally high standards, put in a quiet performance. In fact, the £42 million man rather paled in comparison to his German teammates in visiting ranks.

Denied time and space in a chronically congested midfield, Ozil saw the first half largely pass him by. Jurgen Klopp’s Dortmund had a new threat to cope with after the break when Santi Cazorla came on.

The burden of being a marked man lifted slightly, Ozil exerted more influence in the second half. Cazorla’s introduction gave the hosts extra impetus and the match opened up as a result.

Ozil teed up the Spaniard to crack one against the angle of post and bar at 1-1. Like the yellow card for Lewandowski, this proved pivotal in determining the outcome.

As this opening illustrates it would be naïve, a word used harshly by Arsene Wenger to describe his side’s Champions League showing, to think Arsenal are a one-man show.

The debate will rage nonetheless. Many fans will see the loss Dortmund, however unlucky the Gunners actually were, as compelling evidence that the board need to put their hands in their pockets again in January.

Ozil’s transfer deadline day arrival at the Emirates Stadium bucked the recent trend of star players exiting Arsenal. Robin van Persie and Cesc Fabregas are among those departed heroes who collected silverware in pastures new last term.

A concussed Mathieu Flamini sat out the Dortmund defeat and, whilst Mikel Arteta did an admirable job deputizing as Gunners midfield anchor, his destructive presence may have changed the dynamic.

Stop Ozil, stop Arsenal is a mantra, given the context of several first-team players who were absent, that does Wenger a disservice.

What did you make of Arsenal’s display against Borussia Dortmund? Have your say below.

About The Author

3 Comments

Nikkogunners23 October, 2013

Maybe for The Champion League, Wenger needs to readjust his charges to ensure he can get the best of the team. It was clear that if you compare what we played against Dortmund and Against Napoli, with Napoli we started fast, scored two quick goals and left our opponent chasing the game and liable to make mistakes.

Against Dortmund, we were in for our previous slow start and ended up chasing the game and loosing finally.

Knowing this would it be prudent to get a best fit match in training a day before the big game so that Wenger can pick the sharpest players to start the match tomorrow. Second would it be possible to field the following side.

Rosicky’s involvement meant that Ozil would play on the right wing, a position he gets lost too often. However, Rosicky brings urgency into the team’s game and he can operate from the deep role alongside Flamini. These two are some of the most experienced in the side and can contain the attackers from any opposition. This is a side with 4 number 10 playing in it. Wilshere on the right wing has had some good outings. Carzola can operate from either wing and so he takes the left wing. Ozil is the best number 10 and it would be a shame to play him anywhere else. If this side plays interchanging no one will be able to track any of them. I would love to see such a side lined up against Dortmund in the Westfalenstadion. But starting quickly against any side even in the premier league is important so maybe Rosicky and Ozil starting together all in the central role would be a great idea. Ramsey…Maybe he needs a rest for a while and so this side should Start against Crystal Palace for us to see how workable it would be.

Wandile Mndebele24 October, 2013

Well, i don’t think that this is true. Ozil has been important to Arsenal but lets not forget that he has played just 7 games, drawing 1 and losing 1 in the 13 fixtures so far this season. For me, it is the input of Flamini that has been a revelation. He is the destroyer that breaks down attack and marshals the boys on the pitch. As for the Arsenal game as a whole, Ozil is important because he adds to the options that could hurt opposition especially now that Arsenal have found their vintage style of football.

Wandile Mndebele24 October, 2013

I forgot to add this to my post. It shows an Article to 5 players that could hurt Arsenal vs Dortmund. It turned out to be quite accurate with the exception of the goal prediction.

Ozil being used on the right did restrict Arsenal quite a bit and that meant Sagna had to bombard forward more than usual which some fans were not happy about especially after the suck punch at the end from Lewandowski but the guy is human, he gets tired. As soon as Theo, Ox and Poldi are back, I believe Arsenal will hurt many teams, including the best of the best.